October 21-23, 2022
RASS Field Station
Millboro, VA

Overview

The Fall VAR 2022 is scheduled for October 21-23 at the RASS Field Station, Millboro, VA, hosted by the VPI Cave Club. Details are just starting to become available. Directions and a map were just published on the VARList.

COVID

The Field Station is wide open and should be reasonably safe. Doing the squeezebox two at a time, not so much!

Registration

Pre-registration is now OPEN until October 15. Download the Registration Form now and mail it in before October 8th to make sure it arrives in time. Pre-registration is only $20, with dinner optional for an additional $15. Dinner is only guaranteed to pre-registrants. On-line Registration is also now open, but the prices are slightly higher ($21.00/$36.50) because of processing fees. Onsite registration will be $40.

Camping

The RASS Field Station has 26 acres of open grass for camping, and an outhouse building. Please bring a chair, and everything you will need for the weekend, the site is remote with only a few convenience shops nearby. There will be no on-site recycling. Please plan to carry all your trash and recycling home with you.

Cell Service

Cell service at the site is non-existent to low depending on your carrier. Don't count on it.

Dogs

Yes, well behaved pets and well behaved owners please.

Fires

Allowed ONLY in designated fire rings. 

Hotels

Out here? Are you kidding? Maybe in Staunton

Alcohol

BYOB

Caving

Yes!

Wild Caves

Yes! There will be led tours and self led to open caves. See Saturday below for caves. Signup for guided trips starts Friday evening at 9 PM.

Other Activities

Of course! There will be a vertical tower, trails and footpaths around the RASS fieldstation and hikes near by!

Vendors

TBD

Friday, October 21

Arrive and mingle!

9:00 PM - Sign up for Saturday's guided cave trips.

Saturday, October 22

Led Cave Trips

There will be builded trips to Butler, Porters, 5 Springs Cave, and Grapevine.

DIY Cave Trips

Anyone is free to do a self-guilded tour at Island Ford, Crossroads, or Lowmoor Caves throughout the weekend.

Conservation Project

TBD

Dinner

Evening Program

TBD but we are hoping to have one.

DJ

SUNDAY, October 23

Meeting

The VAR business meeting will begin at 9:00 AM. Bring a chair.

Spring Restoration at Endless Caverns

Earth Day Celebration

Who: Cavers of VAR
What: Spring Restoration at Endless Caverns
When: April 23, 2022 at 9 a.m. promptly!
Where: New Market, Virginia (just south of the town at Exit 264 from the North, or 257
from the South off I-81. Take Route 11 to Endless Caverns Road and follow that to the
end)
Why: Maintain caving community ties to local commercial caverns/cave conservancies
and exchange knowledge about good cave conservation techniques

Details About What We’ll Do
Endless Caverns managers are compiling a list of possible chores that may include
algae abatement, trail maintenance/improvement, formation repair, surface sprucing, or
light carpentry. Come prepared to work; bring shovels, rakes, clippers, and work gloves.
Vaccinated and boosted volunteers are preferred.

Camping Info
Free tent camping (bring your own tables and chairs) on April 22-23 (Friday/Saturday)
If you have a camper or RV-type dwelling, there will be a charge.
Based on weather forecasts, consider bringing canopies for meals.
Please let us know if you plan to camp Friday, Saturday, or both nights.

Lunch
VAR will provide a hearty lunch for the participants. Please let Carol This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
know you are coming so she knows how much food to order. Indicate if you are a
vegetarian. Please us know if you plan to stay for dinner too.

Questions?
Contact Meredith at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

May 20-22, 2022
Grand Caverns,
Grottoes, VA

Overview

The Spring MAR/VAR 2022 is scheduled for May 20-22, 2022 at Grand Caverns, Grottoes, Virginia, hosted by the Seven Valleys and Charlottesville Grottos. All details are subject to change as more information become available. Check back often for updates!

COVID

• All Grand Caverns staff and visitors are required to wear face masks while indoors (including bath houses) if they are not vaccinated. Please be respectful of the choices made by others and staff while visiting.

• The cavern, gift shop, and cavern entrance building all have enhanced cleaning, disinfecting and sanitization protocols to ensure the safety of guests and staff.

• FDA approved disinfectants are being used in all areas of cleaning.

• Handrails in the cavern, all doorknobs, counter tops, bathrooms, and other high-touch areas are disinfected regularly throughout the day.

• Hand sanitizing stations are located in the gift shop and cavern entrance building.

Registration

Pre-registration is now CLOSED. Please register on-site. On-site registration is $38 for adults and $30 for children 5-14.

T-Shirts

T-Shirts will be available but guaranteed only with pre-registration. Shirts will be light grey 50:50 cotton:polyester with the design shown to the right.
Cost is $15 XS through XL and $17.00 for larger sizes.

Camping

Shaded camping is available with ample picnic tables, shelters, and facilities. Smaller campers are welcome, but larger RVs might have a difficult time in that there are no hook-ups. Showers and water will be available.

Dogs

Well-behaved and leashed dogs are welcome! You MUST clean up after your pets. Pets must be kept on a leash and restrained at all times. No pets (with the exception of service animals) are allowed in the caverns, gift shop, or pool area.

Hotels

There are a number of hotels and motels in Harrisonburg and Verona VA (~10 miles from Grottoes, VA).

Alcohol

The park is under new management and alcohol is strictly prohibited on park grounds in accordance with Virginia State Law-"consumption or possession of an open alcoholic beverage in public is prohibited, regardless of age."
We expect the local police to make periodic passes. Please leave your alcohol at home this time.

Caving

Sign up for led cave trips Friday evening starting at 9:00 PM.

Commercial Caves

• Grand Caverns, tours for a reduced fee ($11 – ages 13 & older, $8 – ages 6-12, 5 & under free) MAR/VAR tour times will be Saturday 9:30am, 12:30pm, & 3:00pm and will accommodate up to 25 people. Other tour times will be offered for participants but will include the general public.
• Fountain Cave,at Grand Caverns, tours for a reduced fee ($25 – must be 12 or older to participate). MAR/VAR tour times will be 9:15am, 11:30am, 1:45pm & 4:00pm and will accommodate up to 15 people. All participants will be required to sign a safety waiver.
• Caverns at Natural Bridge, Natural Bridge, VA
• Dixie Caverns, Salem, VA
• Endless Caverns, New Market, VA
• Luray Caverns, Luray, VA
• Seneca Caverns, Riverton, WV
• Smoke Hole Caverns, Seneca, WV
• Skyline Caverns, Front Royal, VA

Wild Caves

• Breathing Cave
• Crossroads Cave
• Glade Cave
• Hamilton Cave
• New Trout Cave
• Kee Cave

Other Activities

Don’t want to get down and dirty? Don’t blame you; there is so much to do above-ground!

• Edith J. Carrier Arboretum, Harrisonburg VA
• Rout 151 Tour Caver Beverages!
• Hiking - Mountain View Park, Furnace Mountain Summit
• Crozet Tunnel
• River Access/Fishing/Paddling on the South Fork Shenandoah River.
• Natural Chimneys in Mount Solon, VA

• Mini golf (on site at Grand Caverns) will be offered to participants for $2.

Vendors

• Sophireaptress - unique caving gear and fashion accessories
• Bash Gear LLC - a purveyor of cave packs, suits, knee pads, and more. Hand sewn in the USA
• Karst Woodcraft - original wood burned designs and stickers
• Others TBD

Friday, May 20

We will open the weekend on Friday at noon for those who want to come for a long weekend. Cave on your own on Friday.

Led Cave Trips

• Porters Cave

All other caving is on your own.

Cave Trip Signup

Time and place TBD

DJ

DJ Tommy Carpenter will be on site to entertain, keeping John Fox’s legacy alive.

Saturday, May 21

SWAP

11:00 a.m. at Pavilion I. Now that you have upgraded your gear, it’s time to spread the joy! Bring your gear to sell or trade!Dinner

Led Cave Trips

• Butler Cave
• Endless Caverns (wild section)
• Fountain Cave (**additional fee applies**)
• Grand Caverns (**additional fee applies**)
• Madison Saltpeter Cave
• Porters Cave
• Trout Cave
• Hamilton Cave

All other caving is on your own.

Conservation Project

On Saturday, May 21 please join the VAR Conservation team for a collaborative effort between VAR Cavers, DCR Natural Heritage Staff and members of the Cave Conservancy of the Virginias. Together we’ll do conservation work at the Cave Hill Natural Area Preserve which is within walking distance of the MAR/VAR campground! Some of the work we’ll tackle will include:

• Stabilizing sinkhole above Steger’s Fissure and other sites between Steger’s Fissure and Weyers Cave Road
• Trail/access work to better delineate the route to the cave
• Clean up a squatter’s shack hidden in one of the cedar thickets
• Endangered species management

Wear gloves, closed toe shoes, and clothing to protect from thickets and possible poison ivy etc. Bring water, snacks, bug spray.

DCR has some tools that can be used for the demolition of the structure such as chainsaws, sledge hammers, angle grinder, battery powered drills, and pry bars. It would be helpful if volunteers could bring tools of their own if possible, such as:  hammers, pry bars, battery powered circular or reciprocating saws, loppers, pruners, shovels, rakes, weed wrench. 

As an added bonus, Lunch will be provided for all participants!

Cave Survey Competition

Test your cave survey skills!  Location will be in the campground.  Details available at event.

Dinner

Saturday's dinner will be catered by Battarbee's

• Roasted Chicken
• Mashed Potatoes
• Green Beans
• Dessert
• Drinks: Iced Tea & Lemonade

* Vegetarian option upon request

Evening Program – Pavilion II

Carl Pierce will regale us with tales and photos of his Vietnam Caving Expedition!

DJ

DJ Tommy Carpenter will be on site to entertain, keeping John Fox’s legacy alive.

SUNDAY, May 22

Breakfast

Pennsylvania Cave Conservancy (PCC) will offer a fundraising breakfast. Suggested donation: $5/person

• Pancakes
• Sausage
• Orange Juice
• Coffee

** For those who are willing/able, we ask that you bring your own plate and silverware to use for Saturday’s dinner to help reduce the amount of waste generated during the MAR/VAR event.  We can all do our part to reduce the amount of trash going into landfills.  Thank you!

Meetings

VAR & PCC meetings beginning at 9:00 a.m.

SWAP

9:00 a.m. at Pavilion I. Now that you have upgraded your gear, it’s time to spread the joy! Bring your gear to sell or trade!

Woohoo! Spring VAR!

May 19-21, 2023

Thorn Springs Campground,

Franklin, WV

Overview:

Spring VAR 2023 is scheduled for May 19-21, 2023 at Thorn Springs Campground near Franklin, WV, hosted by the Battlefield Area Troglodyte Society (BATS). All details are subject to change as more information become available. Check back often for updates!

When:

May 19-21, 2023

Where:

We are renting Thorn Springs Park, down to where the bath houses are. Tent camping will be behind the cabins. If anyone wants to camp in the woods, that will cost extra. RVs must contact Thorn Springs directly to pay the extra $30 per night (304-358-7737)

Cost:

• Sorry, pre-registration is now CLOSED. 
• At the Door:
  • Saturday dinner not guaranteed, but we will try to order extra meals
    • Adults $35
    • Kids 6–16: $22
    • Under 6 Free

Payment/Registration:

Pre-registration is now closed. Please pay on-site with cash or check.

Onsite Registration:

Opens at noon, Friday, May 19.

Camping:

• RV with Full Hookups: $30/night. Pay Thorn Springs directly.
• Cabin Rental: $5/person/night extra. Stove, fridge, showers. Bring your
  sleeping bag and towels. Each cabin sleeps 8–12.
• Tent camping included—set up behind buildings

Hotels:

• Mountain Springs Motel and Apartments (formerly Thompson's)
  
  • 937 N. Main St, Franklin, WV, 26807 (intersection of US 33 and 220)
  • (304) 358-2331

Music:

Tommy Carpenter will DJ on Friday night. He might be persuaded to do so again on Saturday night. Be sure to let him know what songs you want to hear!

Caver Beverages:

Be discreet! It's BYOB. Be discreet!

Pets:

Well-behaved dogs ON LEASH at all times will be allowed. You must be at the other end of the leash. You MUST clean up after your pet--bring poop bags and take them with you when you go home.

Caving:

There are many caves within a short drive and a couple within walking distance.

Earl Suitor, manager of the NSS Cave Preserve at Trout Rocks, has cordoned off cave trips to Trout Cave for up to 40 people over the weekend. He or Cheryl Suitor will bring the forms to VAR for folks to sign up for trips.

Terry McClanathan will lead a 6-person trip to Elkhorn Mountain Cave.

Sign up for one trip when you pre-register. Onsite sign-ups will be first come, first served Friday night after 10. Please respect the trip leaders’ limits on cavers who can go on their trips.

Nearby Commercial Caves:

• Grand Caverns, Grottoes, VA
• Caverns at Natural Bridge, Natural Bridge, VA
• Dixie Caverns, Salem, VA
• Endless Caverns, New Market, VA
• Luray Caverns, Luray, VA
• Smoke Hole Caverns, Seneca, WV
• Skyline Caverns, Front Royal, VA
• (Please note that Seneca Caverns is closed as of the current time)

Wild Caves:

• Hamilton Cave - Miles Drake will station himself near the Slab Room, guide people back to the Airblower, and give talks on the geology of Hamilton Cave.
• New Trout Cave
• Trout Cave
• Kee Cave
• McCoys Mill Cave (walking distance from camp!)

We could really use some volunteers to lead guided trips to caves in the area. If you are familiar and willing enough, please contact Meredith Hall Weberg.

Conservation Project:

• Earl Suitor agreed to come up with a conservation project at Trout Rocks for the VAR Conservation Committee. It will likely consist of small tasks that need to be done, like fence mending, trail clearing, touching up the paint on the kiosk, and possibly graffiti cleaning in the caves. It will likely last only 3 or 4 hours. He will get a list of "chores" and tools needed a couple of weeks ahead of the event.

Don’t want to get down and dirty? Don’t blame you; there is so much to do above-ground!

• NRocks, Circleville, WV, (Nelson Rocks) via ferrata, climbing, and more
• Seneca Rocks, Seneca Rocks, WV
• Edith J. Carrier Arboretum, Harrisonburgn, VA
• Route 151 Tour Caver Beverages!
• Hiking - Mountain View Park, Furnace Mountain Summit
• Crozet Tunnel
• River Access/Fishing/Paddling on the South Fork Shenandoah River.
• Natural Chimneys in Mount Solon, VA
• Dry Run Spirits Distillery in Pendelton County, offering the finest in homebrew apple jack.

Don't want to leave the campground?

Cheryl Suitor will offer a "Paint With Cheryl" class on Saturday afternoon, from 3 to 5 Saturday afternoon. She has a limit of 15 and the cost will be $20. Contact Cheryl directly to reserve your space and pay via PayPal. Use “Friends and Family” so neither of you incurs a fee. See flyer for details.

Cheryl Suitor is also going to have some bat paintings for sale. Please take a look at this talented painter’s work!

Tommy Carpenter is planning to do a T-shirt painting thingy. Bring your own T-shirt and he will supply cloth paint, brushes, and stencils. He did this at the last VAR at this site and it was a hit.

Southeastern Cave Conservancy, Inc. will have a display set up. You may learn about how SCCi saves caves and join their efforts by making a financial donation.

Vendors:

• SophiReapTress will be on site with cave suits, bags, and wonderful wearable art
  
• Cheryl Suitor will have paintings for sale

Saturday Night:

As of March 22, we are finalizing the dinner menu with High’s Restaurant—a caver favorite!—in Monterrey, Virginia. We’ll let you know when we know. We plan to start serving dinner at 6 p.m., so y’all should have plenty of time to go caving, get back, grab your chair and a favorite beverage, and still make it to the food line.

We will have some door prizes - must be present to win. BMS Rescue (Carroll Bassett) has donated a “long-frame double hyper-bar micro rack.” So far we are in the collecting stage for possible door prizes, but if you want to donate something, we’ll be glad to take it provided it’s in decent shape and somewhat related to caving. We have a Gone Cavin' card game and a WVCC mug too. Who knows what else we might have to give away?

Speaker: Bruce Fries (West Virginia Association of Cave Studies (WVACS)) will talk about the Discovery and Exploration of Burntwood Cave, which is located in Greenbrier County, West Virginia, 3 miles southwest of the southernmost entrance to the Friars Hole Cave System. This program will cover the decade-long project to open up the cave, the breakthrough during the 2012 NSS Convention, and the ongoing project to dig a new entrance to avoid the dangers of the Worm Way, which floods to the ceiling with less than 1 inch of rain.

DJ: Tommy Carpenter will DJ on Friday night. He might be persuaded to do so again on Saturday night. Be sure to let him know what songs you want to hear!

Sunday Morning:

VAR business meeting: 9 a.m. Grottos be sure to assign representatives to attend!